Nate Ryan, USA TODAY Sports 8:50 p.m. EDT October 19, 2013 10-19-2013 dale earnhardt jr. TALLADEGA, Ala. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. was changing oil for customers at his late fathers dealership when summoned for his debut at NASCARs most mammoth palace of breakneck pace. The instructions in a phone call from a no-nonsense seven-time champion were predictably gruff and simple: Bring your helmet, your firesuit and a hefty dose of bravery – and dont whisper a word of the high-speed adventure to anyone. For Earnhardt Jr., whose experience primarily consisted of racing street stocks at short tracks, it was a daunting and indelible introduction to the essence of Talladega Superspeedway – run as fast as humanly possible and hang onto the lead in hopes of avoiding the calamity. He told me to get in the car and hold it wide-open, Earnhardt Jr. said, recalling his fathers direction during a Nationwide Series test at the 2.66-mile oval. I remember going down the back straightaway and wondering if it was really going to stick when I got in that corner because it just didnt seem like it was possible. JUNIOR: Confounded by track he once ruled That first lap confirmed it and also established the principal tenet of Talladega for Earnhardt, whose five wins here rank third to his fathers record 10 and Jeff Gordons six. At a track whose massive packs of cars produce a throaty roar -- alternately breathtaking and ominous – that sounds akin to a freight train rumbling at 38,000 horsepower, its best to be the locomotive. Before you even get in the car, the first thing youre thinking about is how fast you can get to the lead because you know a lot of people want to see you leading the race, he said. And they come here to cheer that specific moment. You just want to produce as soon as you can. If staying on the point is the primary allure of Talladega, then Sundays Camping World RV Sales 500 might offer a storyline that dovetails well with the 100% rule recently instituted after the team orders scandal at Richmond International Raceway. GLUCK: Talladega chaos could shake up Chase After several years of tactics with questionable legitimacy -- such as tandem drafting and sandbagging by superstars -- cast a fetid pall of ambivalence across a track that bills itself as NASCARs most competitive, a renewed sense of urgency seems to have crept into the event that is the most feared by Chase for the Sprint Cup hopefuls. Rather than hang in the back to avoid the inevitable multicar crash produced by cars running inches apart at near 200 mph, chief championship contenders Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson both will be pushing to stay ahead of the mayhem Sunday – and they expect everyone else to do the same. Riding is not the thing to do, said Johnson, who trails Chase leader Kenseth by four points through half of the 10-race title run. Youll never get back to the front. HALFWAY: Predictable Chase could still yield surprise That hasnt always been true recently at Talladega and Daytona International Speedway, the two tracks where restrictor plates are used to choke airflow to the engines and keep cars bunched together – sometimes three wide and 10 rows deep -- at relatively consistent speeds. In 2007, Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon and Johnson lollygagged outside the top 20 for more than 400 miles before charging to the front over the final 20 laps. Gordon led only one lap in his sixth win at Talladega. The practice continued during the tandem drafting era of 2010-11, drivers lined up in two-car formations that eliminated half the field from having a shot at the win and de-emphasized the importance of staying at the front. But since NASCAR eradicated the two-car tandems last year with changes to the water cooling systems and introduced a smaller spoiler last year, its increased the hazards of waiting patiently to make a winning move. This seasons new Gen 6 car also seems to have increased the likelihood of losing the lead draft – and likely a lap -- while racing at less than full speed. NASCAR officials say running at the back wont be a violation of its 100% rule because its deemed a race strategy, but there might not be many takers Sunday because the risks are too great. In years past, you could ride half throttle, and you wouldnt lose the draft, said David Ragan, who won the most recent race at Talladega. I dont know if it is the (aerodynamics), but that last car in the pack is very subject to lose the draft. A couple of the faster cars in the spring lost the draft. You cant be that last car. I think the race will be very tight. You are going to see a lot of guys that are not going to be passive and just cruise around. I dont think you will have a lot of guys taking it easy until the end. RETURN: Front Row Motorsports chasing more Talladega magic Gordon noticed the change during the May 6 race when his No. 24 Chevrolet stalled in traffic despite getting a heavy drafting push. You certainly cant expect, with 10 or 20 laps to go, to just drive your way to the front, said Gordon, who is ranked fourth in the points standings. Youve got to be real careful about trying to hang in the back. While it might keep you out of trouble, it also can get you a lap down. It can also put you in a position where you find yourself not getting any further up than 15th. And you might be right in the middle of that big (wreck) if it happens in the final laps, so I absolutely feel like track position is still going to be important. That might be an advantage for Kenseth, who never liked tandem drafting and always has preferred to race up front if his car can set the pace. Its a hard balance, said the No. 20 Toyota driver, who scored top-three finishes in all four restrictor-plate races last year. I still feel like all the fans pay a lot of money and watch on TV to see a race, and Ive always just liked to go race. I felt like last year when they changed the rules and kind of separated the pack and got rid of the tandem, you had to go back to more of a conventional-style drafting, I felt like not only did it speed our cars up, but I felt like I was more comfortable and probably made less bad moves than before. Veteran Jeff Burton, though, believes there still is an opportunity for rope-a-dope tactics, noting his No. 31 Chevrolet was able to catch up to the lead pack after intentionally dropping back in practice Friday. But the key might be not waiting until the last 50 miles, as many have done in recent years. I think that you can sandbag, said Burton, who will start second after qualifying was canceled by rain Saturday. I think you will see some of the guys in the Chase ride around. I think you will see some of them trying to lead as many laps as you can. I think you will see a typical Talladega race where some people just arent comfortable running every lap in the front and some people are. RAIN: Almirola on pole as Cup qualifying washed out If you ride around, when you go is what is important. If its a 188-lap race and you take it easy for 100, there is no reason why you couldnt get back to the front in 88 laps. Earnhardt, who hasnt won a restrictor-plate race in a nine-year stretch of 35 starts, doesnt plan to wait that long as he tries to return to his winning ways (seven victories at Daytona and Talladega). Youve got to make all the right decisions in the draft to put yourself in position to win, he said. And I havent been doing that to win these races here, but my confidence and my determination has not changed a bit. I think youve got to adapt, and I dont think Ive adapted as well as Ive needed to the way this package needs to be ran. But Im going to stay open minded and try to do a good job of putting the car where it needs to be and making better decisions to have a shot at it. Follow Ryan on Twitter @nateryan -april
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 13:31:18 +0000
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